Chandogya Upanisad contains another famous dialogue on
the subject between father Aruni and his son Svetaketu. �Aruni' a Brahmin
Rsi, learned in Vedas, sent his son Svetaketu at the age of twelve years
to learn Vedas. The son returned back to father after the completion of
his course at the age of 24 years, conceited and thinking himself very
learned. So the learned father inquired of the son -
"Svetaketu, my dear, since now you think yourself very
learned and proud, did you also ask for that teaching whereby what has not
been heard of, becomes thought of, what has not been understood, becomes
understood ?"
"How pray Sir, is that teaching" ? asked the son.
"Just as my dear", the father explained, "by one piece
of clay everything made of clay may be known (the modification is merely a
verbal distinction, a name, the reality is just �clay'). Just as, my dear,
by one copper ornament everything made of copper may be known
(modification is merely a verbal distinction, a name, the reality is just
�copper'). Just as, my dear, by one nail-scissors, everything made of iron
may be known (the modification is merely a verbal distinction, a name; the
reality is just �iron'). So, my dear, is that teaching."
"Verily", said the son, "those honoured men did not
know this, for, if they had known it, why would they have not told me ?
But do you, Sir, tell me."
"So be it, my dear, -bring hither a fig from ther".
"Here it is, Sir".
"Divide it".
"It is divided, Sir".
"What do you see there"?
"These rather fine seeds, Sir" ?
"Of these, please divide one".
"It is divided, Sir".
"What do you see there" ?
"Nothing at all, Sir".
Then he (father) said to him (son) : "Verily, my dear,
that finest essence which you do not perceive - verily, my dear; from that
finest essence, this great fig tree arises. Believe me, my dear, that
which is the finest essence - this whole world has that as its self. That
is Reality. That is Atman. That art thou (Tattvamasi) Svetaketu."
"Do you, Sir, cause me to understand even more".
"So be it, my dear", said he, "Place this salt in
water. In the morning come to me." Then he did so. Then he said unto him :
"that salt you placed in the water last evening, please bring it hither."
Then he grasped, but did not find it, as it was completely dissolved.
"Please, take a sip from this end", said he, "How is
it" ?
"Salt", said the son.
"Take a sip from that end", said he, "How is it" ?
"Salt", said the son.
"Take a sip from middle, How is it" ?
"Salt".
"Take a sip from that end", said he, �How is it" ?
"Salt".
"Set it aside and then come to me".
He did so, saying, "It is always the same".
Then he (father) said to him : "Verily, indeed, my
dear, you do not perceive Being here. Verily, indeed it is here. That
which is the finest essence - this whole world has that as its self. That
is Reality; That is Atman, That art thou (Tattvamasi), Svetaketu."
Truly, the essence of life is spirit, the soul. Body,
mind and soul are the three components of human beings. Body works through
senses. The impulses which are created in physical senses when they come
in touch with external objects are carried to mind. The mind reasons out
and stores the feelings created by these impulses and conveys to the soul.
The soul thus gets experience of pleasures, pain and utility of the
material objects of the external world through physical senses and mind.
Function of the physical senses is confined to each individual sense so
that one physical sense cannot discharge or remember the function of any
other physical sense. Function of mind is to a great external supervisory.
It is the internal function which works in the most subtle manner. It
reasons and compares and stores, but its motivating force is the self.
Mind can work only through sense. But self can work directly. So long as
self and its functions are clouded by Karmas, it functions only through
mind and senses and is not capable of having direct perception.
The Jaina philosophers have distinguished mind from the
self by emphasising that mind is the internal instrument that helps the
self in cognizing internal states like pleasure, pain etc. Sri Hemcandra
Acarya, a renowned Jaina scholar of 12th century, defines mind as the
organ of cognition of all objects of all the senses (Sarvartha
grahanam manah). It is the cognition of all the objects of senses, only
not of all the objects, that is, the Mind excludes the cognition of these
objects which are not the objects of senses. There lies the distinction
between the mind and the self because self, in its pure existence, is free
from the bondage of Karmas, and can cognize all objects irrespective of
the medium of senses. That is direct, i.e., Pratyaksa, cognizance. But
cognizance, obtained through senses and mind is indirect, i.e., Paroksa.
The philosophical paradox is that self experiences
through mind and body (physical senses), but in the ultimate analysis, the
efforts of self is to get free from the obstacles created by the mind and
body. So, the obstacles are sought to be removed through obstacles
themselves. The paradox is solved if we bear in mind that according to
Jaina philosophy, self, i.e., the Jiva is associated with Ajiva since time
immemorial and the real nature of every Jiva is to ascend and to become
free from the bondage of Ajiva, resulting in self's struggle through
experience, gained only through the mind and body. Thus, in this chapter
we have seen that,
(1) Existence of soul can be proved by direct
perception as well as by metaphysical reasoning.
(2) Soul is distinct from matter, but is in close
association with the matter from time immemorial.
(3) Soul is eternal and indestructible.
(4) Association of soul with karmic matter is the cause
of birth and rebirth.
(5) Process of birth and rebirth is nothing but the
soul's struggle to become free from the bondage of Karma.
(6) Once the soul completely frees, itself from the
bondage, it becomes all powerful and omniscient, Siddha, i.e., attains
God-hood.
(7) Having attained God-hood it does not take rebirth.
(8) Such a soul is in existence even in an atom and
every such soul-even of an atoms, has the potentiality of achieving
God-hood and this belief is at the root of the theory of Ahimsa.
Having thus seen the proof of existence and the main
characteristics of one of the Universe, we may now proceed to consider the
characteristics of the other components, namely, Ajiva.
